1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a system for fixing an electric connector terminal, especially to the core of a rail in a railway.
2. Background of the Invention
It is known to fix a cable on a rail of a railway, so as to ensure for example, a ground contact and/or reverse current contact, etc. It is known, for example, to make an aluminothermic weld at the end of the cable or to use a terminal fixed to the end.
To this end, in the last case, the terminal is fixed on the rail by screwing, for example, by utilizing of a threaded rod integral with or fixed thereto and a nut, provided with a clamping washer, and adapted to clamp the terminal on the rail or an electrically conductive piece fixed thereto.
The threaded rod can be fixed or attached by any means and can be especially constituted by the extension of an insert fixed into the rail, as described in French Patent No. 2 692 632, the same Applicant.
In this case, the insert has a flanged ring fixed in a hole provided in the rail, and on which the electric connector terminal is applied.
Such a system gives entire satisfaction in current use.
However, an ill-timed handling of the cable connected to the terminal, which cable is often quite rigid, risks causing a deterioration or a loosening of the terminal.
Indeed, a rotation of the cable, and therefore of the terminal, in the untightening direction causes a movement similar to the washer and the screw and thus an untightening thereof, which naturally deteriorates the passage of the current by increasing the electrical resistance resulting therefrom.
This ill-timed handling can be caused on a worksite during work or during a check.
Besides human handling, the cables can be hooked by tools or mechanized railway machinery, such as tamping machines, for example.
That is why one sought to further reinforce the self-locking ability of this type of fixing, even during handling of the cable.
One especially thought to affix the terminal and the ring in rotation by means of teeth, for example, but such a system has the risk of significant damage in case of substantial biases on the cable.
In this regard, document U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,148,-A, although adapted to the fixing of small conductors, seeks to increase the efficiency of tightening by decreasing the friction of the tightening mechanism so as to immobilize at best the conductor on its support. Assuming that such a system be adaptable to the elements to be fixed according to the invention, it would have the same drawback as the one previously mentioned.